In the study by Dr Pål Surén, a researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, expectant mothers' dietary habits were recorded and the families were regularly surveyed for three to ten years to measure the development of autism spectrum disorders. The study population was 85,176 babies born between 2002/2008 derived from the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).
Dr Surén said, ‘It appears that the reduced risk of childhood autism only reflects folic acid supplements, not food or other supplements, and that the crucial time interval is from four weeks before conception to eight weeks into pregnancy.’
He added, ‘The study does not prove that folic acid supplements can prevent childhood autism. However, the findings are so apparent that they constitute a good argument to further examine possible causal mechanisms. It should also be ascertained whether folic acid is associated with a reduced risk of other brain disorders in children.’
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